Overcoming Depression

Waking up is hard to do.  Sometimes depression sets in when you start waking up.  I know it did for me.  I was so depressed I almost took my own life.   People also get depressed for other things too.  With the holidays here some people get depressed at this time because some loved ones are no longer with them.  We can simply get depressed.  Social media has brought depression for people to a new high because people see the fantasy lives of others and think they cant live up to it.   For someone who has been to the brink and back I will let you in on what helped me.  Hopefully you can use it to overcome your depression.  

Realize its okay to feel depressed.  It is alright to feel down.  Stop trying to be positive.  This new age crap of positive affirmations just makes you feel worse.  Its telling yourself you are not good enough. It makes you feel bad about feeling bad. It creates an endless loop.   Start loving the emotion of depression.  How would you know you were not depressed if you never have been depressed?   Do you embrace feeling good?  Of course you do.  Embrace feeling depressed.  Grab those sad sulking country songs and go to town.  It is okay to cry and get it out.  Don’t bottle it up.  Give yourself permission to feel down.  What you resists persists.  

Quit looking at social media.  Sometimes when people get down and isolated they will get on social media and imagine or project what peoples lives look like and start thinking, “Why can’t I be like them?” People on social media are not amazing.  What you see on social media is only a small part of someone’s life.  Question if that person is really like that.  For the majority it will be no.  What ever they are posting could be made up or a very small part of their life.  The person is not always like that.  We are all human.  We all get angry, sad, stressed and every other emotion.  Every emotion is temporary.  When you stay in an emotion for a long time it becomes a state.  Don’t compare yourself to what you think are other people’s perfect life.  Its an illusion and you will never win.  

Practice gratitude and appreciation.  When you are in a thankful state it is very hard to be down.  Name five things you are grateful for.  Be grateful for the small things in life.  Things can always be worse.  Try to do this everyday.  It will change your perception of reality.  Things will go from happening to you to happening for you.  Being grateful will change your mindset from coping in an awful world to a world where you can do anything you want.  

Get good sleep.  We all need our rest.  Do whatever it takes to sleep deeply.  Get room darkening curtains.  Use white noise.  Anything to get to REM sleep.  We all need eight hours of sleep.  This is so important.  I have a post on why we sleep.  The ancients thought it was so important they dedicated temples to sleeping.  

Get your diet right.  Are you eating food that brings you down or are you eating food that brings you energy and life?  Fast food literally brings you down physically and mentally.  When you eat healthy food it brings you energy physically and mentally.  Start out slow if you have too.  Have one healthy meal a day then move up to two.  Sooner or later you will be eating healthy all day every day.  If you drink sugary drinks, get off of them.  Sodas are the worst.  Even the diet drinks mess with your body and mind.  Drink water as often as possible.  

Get out and exercise everyday.  Even if its just a walk, just do it. What activity do you like doing?  Do it.  I can’t stress this enough.  Getting your heart rate up will improve your mood.  Get into a habit of doing an exercise and it has bonuses like brining your body in shape.  If you get your diet in order it won’t take long.  Liking the way you look will bring your mood up too.  

Do something for you.  Quit putting everyone else’s needs first and do something for you.  We all try to please others.  We all try to do what we think others want us to do.  Is there something you have wanted to do but haven’t had time?  Is there something you like to do but are afraid others would think your weird?  Its time to take your life off of hold because you have been to busy pleasing others.  Whatever it is that makes you light up when you do it.  Do that!  No only will it put you in a great mood, but you will feel empowered because you are staying true to yourself.  

Get to the cause of what is making you feel depressed.  Figure it out.  If you are living with someone that causes your depression, get out of there.  If you are working a job you hate, find one you will love to do. Most of our feeling trapped is all in our heads.  Those are easy to do, but if they are not the core of your depression you can switch jobs all you want or find others to live with all you want and your depression will not go away.   For most of us we are going to feel down from something that is out of our awareness.  You must dig down deep and find what you have buried in your subconscious.  Most depression is from hanging on to past trauma and trying to hide parts of you that you have disowned.  Inner work will help you let go of all that.  Inner work is uncomfortable while you are doing it, but very freeing.  

Let go of trying to protect what you have suppressed.  Most of what you are doing is fighting with yourself.  Your ego does not want to let go of being in charge.  Let the authentic person out.  With depression know that you are not alone.  Everyone gets depressed.  If you are in a state of depression that you don’t think you can get out of seek help.  When I went into my worst depression I didn’t want to be around anyone and didn’t care about anyone.  I literally was thinking “F” this world.  Then it hit me.  Its not me, its this world.  If you don’t get depressed in this world, as far as Im concerned you are a psychopath.  This world is meant for psychopaths and thats why psychopaths run it.  If you get depressed, and we all do, it means you know something is not right.  Lets pull ourselves out and change this world.  Join me and making the world a better place for all, not just psychopaths.   The world needs you!